Treatment of textile fibers, yarns, fabrics, or the like for obtaining effects of color or luster or both



Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

-UNITED STATES HENDRIX JAN JAKOB JANSSEN, OF ARNHEM, NETHERL LOOZE VENNOOTSCHAIP NEDERLANDSCHE KUNSTZIJD NETHERLANDS.

LBS,- ASSIGNOR TO NAAI: ABRIEK, OF ARNHEM,

TREATMENT OF TEXTILE FIBERS, YARNS, FABRICS, OR THE LIKE FOR OBTAINING EFFECTS OF COLOR OR LUSTER OB BOTH.

llo Drawing. Application filed May 28, 1925, Serial No. 33,508, and in the Netherlands April 7, 1928.

This invention is based on the observation that cellulose threads and yarns, whether artificial or natural, for instance artificial silk, cotton and other textile fibers, such as wool and natural silk, may be dyed differently or given a different luster, in the same dyeing-bath, or both dyed differently and glVel'l a dilferent luster, if there is allowed to form or deposit upon or in a part of the 19 fibers a precipitate of sulphur while another part of the fibers is left unchanged. Also, fibers having diiferent sulphur contents, together with fibers without sulphur, may be treated in this manner. This applies both to mixtures of different fibers and to different parts of the same fiber. Such a precipitate of sulphur can be produced in various ways. For example, the fibers may be saturated with a polysulphide solution of 29 an alkaline metal or of ammonia and after wards treated in an acid bath. Another method consists in dissolving sulphur in an organic solvent, saturating the thread with the solution and subsequently evaporating the solvent, whereupon there remains in the fibers a finely subdivided precipitate of sulphur. It is also possible to use for the process unbleached viscose silk which still contains sulphur.

The presence of this sulphur makes it possible to dye diflerently or to produce different lustrous effects on textile fibers like wool, silk, cotton or artificial silk, or on fabrics made with such fibers. If a dyeis used, it must be of such a nature that it does not cause the dispersion of the sulphur in the bath. In some cases, the sol: phur is affected by the dye so that the sulphured fibers will be dyed differently from W the unsulphured fibers. For example many organic dyestuffs which dye in a solution containing hydrosu-lphite will dye fibers containing sulphur, in tints which differ from those produced on fibers free from sulphur. An example of this kind is indanthrene rose which dyes sulphured fibers violet and nonsulphured rose. In another mode of applying the invention the sulphur, upon or in the sulphured fibers, is changed by means of suitable metallic salt solutions into colored or colorless metal compounds, e. g. into sulphides which are deposited firmly on or in the fibers.

For example a fabric, the weft of which consists of unbleached viscose silk containmg 3 to 4% sulphur and the warp of bleached viscose silk free from sulphur, is gently warmed in a 1% solution of copper sulphate containing a sufficient quantity of sodium sulphite; the sulphured silk is dyed a beautiful black while the sulphur free silk remains colorless.

Obviously other metal salts having different colored sulphur compounds and capable of forming a precipitate on the fibers by means of the sulphur (for instance, silver-, nickeL, cadmium-, antimony-, tin or' iron-salts) may be used. When the metal compound has been formed on the unbleached threads and the fabric has been washed the latter may be brought into a second dye-bath containing, for instance, an organic dyestufi for which the metal compound on the sulphured fibers can act as a mordant to dye the sulphured fibers a different color from that'which the dyestufi produces on the non-sulphured fibers. If the metal mordant is itself colored there is produced by the addition of the second dyestuif a mixed dyeing. For instance it is possible to convert the sulphur compound of the metal on the fibers into oxides, and to dye afterwards with dyestuffs like alizarine, which form lakes of different colors with the oxides, e. g. iron and aluminium.

In certain cases it is possible after the dyeing to extract the metal mordant from the sulphured fibers without interfering with the difference of color between the sulphured anlcfl non-sulphured fibers or the dyestufl itse The invention can be applied in many manners.

It will be obvious that the processes described above can be applied not only to the fibers but also to fabrics made therelfrlpm, knitted or woven piece goods or the Different quantities of the fibrous material may be treated with unequal quantities of sulphur; or the sulphur-ed fibers, or a part of them, may be desulphured to different degrees, so that 10, 20 or more per cent of the original sulphur may remain, which may be attained by the use of mild agents for dissolving sulphur in times which are defined by experiments. In this manner, particularly in the case of viscose silk, very different color or luster effects may be attained even in undyed condition when the silk has been woven and eventually treated in accordance with this invention. Another anode of operating, particularly applicable to 'viscose silk, consists in producing a difference of sulphur content in different parts of the same fibers by a mildly acting desulphuring agent e. g. a cold 1% Na,S solution for a short time so that only the sulphur adhering to the surface of the fiber is removed,

while that contained in the core of the fiber remains. On subsequently dyeing according to this invention for instance with a 1% solution of AgNO with a sufficient quantity of sodium sulphite there is obtained a lustrous brown black by Ag S colored fiber; on the other hand, it is also possible to 'dye only the outer surface of the sulphured fiber and subsequently to remove the sulphur from the core or to leave it in the core. There is then obtained a colored fiber which is dull.

It is not necessary to bring about the difference in sulphur content of the fibers before the latter are made u into fabric or the like; the process may be ap lied to a fabric made up of uniformly su phured fibers. Thus it is possible to vary the sulphur content at particular places in such a fabric, for example the threads at a particular place in a woven fabric may be more or less freed from sul hur. In a fabric treated in this manner t e desired difference of color and luster can be produced by subsequent treatment according a, to this invention. The local reduction or removal of sulphur in a fabric is' possible in several ways. For-mstance a pattern may be printed upon the fabric by means of a liquid or paste which dissolves sulphur or combines with sulphur and after the fabric .has been washed it may be treated in a dye-bath. For th s purpose a 10 to 15%solution of Na S', thickened by any means of thickening, and the action of which may be supported by heat, e. g. by steam, may be used. It is also possible to print upon the fabric a substance which re els water, such as wax, so as to protect t e sulphur locally from solution and then to remove the sulphur from parts not printed by means of a solvent.

Particularly in the case of viscose silk, the foregoing process results in producing'very beautiful lustrous effects because the parts of the fabric which contain sulphur retain their dull appearance. In this manner there are obtained the same effects as are produced by weaving a pattern-of sulphured and nonsulphured threads in a Jacquard pattern loom. Obviously a suitable dyestuff may be printed together with a sulphur fixing or sulphur dissolving liquid.

What I claim is:

1. A process of producing different ex-. terior effects on textile fibers, yarns, webs or the like, consisting in creating a difference in the sulphur content of part of the fibers from the remaining part, said difference ranging between a small percentage and 100% of the sulphur content of the sulphur-containing material.

2. A process of producing different exterior effects on textile fibers, yarns, webs or the like, consisting in creating a difference in the sulphur content of part of the fibers from the remaining part, and thereafter treating both parts in the same bath of a dye which does not cause dispersion of the sulphur in the bath.

3. A process of producing different exterior effects on textile fibers, arns, webs ,or the like, which consists in giving to one part of the fibers a sulphur content different from that of another part, and thereafter treating both parts in the same bath of a dye which is affected by the sulphur withguthcausing dispersion of the sulphur in the 4. A process of producing different exterior effects on sulphur-containing textile fibers, yarns, webs or the like, which consists in treating part of the fibers with a mildly-acting desulphuring agent, so as to desulphur solely the outer surface of the treated fibers and thereby obtain a difference in the sulphur content of the fibers.

5. A rocess of producing different exterior e ects on sulphurcontaining text1le fibers, yarns, webs or the like, which consists in treating art of the fibers with a mildlyacting desu phuring agent, so as to desulphur solely the outer surface of the treated fibers and thereby obtain a difference in the sulphur content of the fibers, and thereafter treating all the fibers in the same bath of a dye which does not cause dispersion of the sulphur in the bath.

6. A process accordin to claim 5, in which the outer surface 0 the fibers is dyed b a dyestuif solution which is affected by tli e sulphur, and the core of the fibers is subsequently desulphured.

7. A. process of producing different exterior effects on textile fibers, yarns, webs or the like, which consists in creating a difference in the sulphur content of the fibers, and treating the fibers with a coloring agent which is affected by the sulphur to produce a difference of color between the more sulphured and less-sulphured parts.

8. A process according to claim 7, in

iio

which the coloring agent is a metal salt sopound with the sulphur of the fibers, and 10 lution which forms an insoluble metal comthen dyeing with an or anic dyestufi wherepound with the sulphur of the fibers. by the metal com oun precipitated on the 9. A process of producing different extem r sulph r d bel's Serves as a Inordallt 5 rior effects on textile fibers, yarns, webs, or so as to reduce a difierence of color from the like, which consists in creating a differthat pro uced on the less-sulphured fibers. 15 ence in the sulphur content of the fibers, In testimony whereof I aflixmy signature. treating such fibers with a metal salt solution which produces an insoluble metal com- HENDRIK JAN JAKOB JANSSEN. 

